


Sacrifices

by TheLostMaximoff



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Future Fic, Gen, Speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-15 11:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9232058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLostMaximoff/pseuds/TheLostMaximoff
Summary: Caitlin knows that heroes have to be willing to sacrifice everything to protect the people they love.





	

Caitlin Snow stares around the empty bar and smiles, putting a bottle of liquor on the table. She had spent a few minutes clearing the building of patrons, which wasn’t that hard given her exceptional ability to threaten people with bodily harm. Once that was finished, she had placed a call to someone and now she waits for them to arrive. She grins and pours herself a drink, another full glass of some liquid sitting on the opposite end of the table. She hears the pop and crack of lightning in the distance and knows that it isn’t the weather. The wind whips through the building as a flash of light enters the room, the gust kicking up her white hair in a way she’s very familiar with.

“Hey, Barry,” says Caitlin, waving as The Flash stares at her. “Glad you could make it.”

Barry Allen glares at the woman he once knew as Caitlin Snow. These days, she prefers Killer Frost but that name is a bit misleading. As far as Barry can tell, she hasn’t killed anyone although she’s had plenty of opportunities. He hopes it’s because the real Caitlin is somewhere still inside her and is keeping her from crossing that line. He still wants to save her even after all that’s happened between them. He doesn’t blame her for siding with Savitar. She was scared and angry. She felt like no one else would accept her so she succumbed the way anyone else would. Barry still blames himself for everything involving Caitlin’s current state. It all falls on his shoulders and he doesn’t need another reminder of that burden. So why did he come when she called?

“Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t haul you into CCPD,” states Barry.

“Barry, I just want to have a drink with you,” answers Caitlin. “Is that a crime now?”

“You may not have done anything yet but your new friends have done plenty.” Barry was surprised to see Caitlin turn up again with some of his other Rogues. He knows she’s still a better person than them. “So what’s their game this time?”

“Maybe if you come have a drink with me I’ll tell you.” Caitlin gestures to the seat across from her. "I know you can’t get drunk so I didn’t even get you any alcohol. It’s just club soda. C'mon, just one drink for old time’s sake.“

Barry grits his teeth in frustration but decides to play along. He sits down across from Caitlin and pulls back the cowl of his costume. He takes a sip of his soda, his eyes never breaking contact with Caitlin’s unnaturally blue ones. Caitlin takes a sip of her own drink, satisfied with herself. Her gaze drifts around the room, lingering on the stage in one corner. She has fond memories of this place. It’s why she picked it to have her little talk with Barry.

"So what are you up to?” asks Barry.

“You remember the last time we came here?” inquires Caitlin. “I got drunk off my ass and we got up on that stage and sang karaoke. That was a good night.”

Barry watches Caitlin honestly smile and swears he sees a trace of the girl she used to be. He remembers that night. He had almost forgotten it but lately he’s been remembering more moments like that. He assumes it’s because he wishes for happier times when Caitlin was still Caitlin instead of the terrible thing he made of her.

“Is that why you brought me here, Caitlin? So we could talk about better times between us?”

“I think that was the night that I realized I was in love with you,” says Caitlin and she grins at the sight of Barry almost spitting out his drink. “Oh please, don’t be so melodramatic. I was really drunk that night and it was just a little crush anyways. I’m over it now. Flashpoint kinda took care of that.”

“Why are you with The Rogues, Caitlin?”

“And I thought I was the uptight one.” Caitlin sighs, knowing that Barry isn’t going to let her continue waxing nostalgic for the rest of the night. She just wanted a simple conversation with her friend. Where was the harm in that?

“Please just answer me.” Barry takes another drink and watches Caitlin do the same.

“You may have noticed they’re a bit more organized lately,” explains Caitlin. "You may have also noticed that they haven’t killed anyone lately. Well, you can thank me for that.“

"You’re the one leading them?”

“I just make sure they play nice and follow the rules. If they get out of line, they get punished. I’m just trying to be a good friend and protect you, Barry. I’m trying to protect everyone. You can’t deny that it’s working. According to the article Iris wrote in last week’s paper, the murder rate in Central City has gone down drastically ever since I took over.”

“Cait, this isn’t you. You’re not a criminal and you don’t belong with them. You belong with us at STAR Labs like you always have.”

“I really don’t.” Caitlin forms a couple ice cubes in her palm and drops them into her drink to chill it before taking another sip. "I’m not the same Caitlin I was, Barry. I know you and the others want me to be but I’m not. The thing is, I’m not really Killer Frost either. I’m … somewhere in the middle I think. I’m figuring it out. It’s something I never stopped to do before and, honestly, it’s kind of exciting.“

"You have to come home, Cait.”

Caitlin almost laughs at the idea of STAR Labs as home. It used to be and everyone that worked there was her family. Things got broken though. Barry hurt all of them with Flashpoint and Caitlin spent so long being angry at him. She thought she had to be Killer Frost because that was what the universe wanted. That stupid prophecy of Savitar’s loomed over her head and she thought she didn’t have a choice. Savitar is gone and she’s still here. There’s no more prophecy now, just her making the most of a bad situation.

“Someone has to make sure the others don’t get out of hand,” reminds Caitlin. "You lost your mother when you were a kid, Barry. You want another little boy to go through the same thing all because Weather Wizard got a little careless with a lightning bolt or two? You want someone else to lose their husband like I lost Ronnie? I’m a doctor, Barry. Nobody’s getting killed on my watch.“

"So that’s it then? You think you’re a hero because you got them to tone it down?”

“I’ve learned something from you and Ronnie,” admits Caitlin, taking another drink because she’s going to need it to get through what she’s planning on saying next. "I’ve learned that a hero should be ready to make whatever sacrifice is necessary to protect the people they love. I loved our friendship, Barry. I loved being a part of your team because that was my family and my home. I felt so broken after what happened with the particle accelerator but then you changed all that. You saved my life and all I’ve ever wanted to do was return that favor. So this is how I’m doing it. I’m sacrificing everything I ever was to help protect you and everyone that lives here. I haven’t told The Rogues anything about who you really are. I haven’t told them anything about Iris or Joe or any of the others. I’m doing something good. I’m just doing it my way instead of yours.“

"I’m going to catch you and the rest of them,” promises Barry. “You have to know that.”

“Do you ever stop and think about all those times we shoved people into that Pipeline without so much as a trial or a lawyer?” asks Caitlin. “You ever think that we created more problems than we solved?”

“They’re dangerous, Cait, and they need to pay for what they do.”

Caitlin sighs and finishes her drink. She knows that he’s never going to understand her side of things. Then again, he never really did. She sometimes wonders what she saw in him that made her think she loved him. Maybe she just saw what she wanted to see. She sees things a little more clearly these days. Barry is and has always been a little selfish. There will always be a part of Caitlin that’s angry over Flashpoint. She accepts that just like she accepts that there will always be a part of her that loves him.

“I guess I’ll have to go down with them then,” decides Caitlin as she pulls a small device out of her pocket. "You may have noticed that Cisco’s been very quiet in your ear. It’s not by his choice. See, I know the frequency that you use for your earpiece. The second you walked into this room, this thing’s been jamming it. By the way, tell Cisco hello for me. I hope he’s proud that I’m getting everyone to use the nicknames he made up for them.“

"You led me into a trap then?” Barry watches Caitlin freeze the device and then crush it into powder. He can hear Cisco’s voice now coming through the earpiece, a stream of Spanish that he assumes is curse words.

“No, just a distraction,” answers Caitlin. "I picked this bar for another reason besides the trip down memory lane. It’s all the way across town from the bank that the others are robbing. You might want to hurry if you’re going to save the day. Given your top speed and traffic at this time of the night, it’s probably going to take you at least a full minute to get there. I’m sure they’re already gone by now.“

"Maybe I’m just going to settle for taking you in,” says Barry, standing up from his seat and indicating with his body language that he’s ready for a fight.

“You really want to wreck this place by having a very unnecessary fight?” Caitlin rises from her chair as well and the icy vapor coalesces in her palms. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ll do it if that’s what you want. You should probably think about the collateral damage though. Is it really worth it in the end?”

“What you’re doing doesn’t change who they are, Caitlin.”

“I don’t want them to change who they are, Barry. I just want them be more careful about what they do. You’re the one that keeps wanting everything and everyone to change until they’re the way you think they should be.”

Barry knows it’s pointless to argue with her. She’s chosen her side and there’s nothing he can do about it. He disappears in a flash and Caitlin is left alone. Caitlin smiles and picks up Barry’s drink, freezing it solid with just her touch. She sees her reflection in the ice and then sees someone else in its surface. She puts the glass back on the table and watches Mirror Master fill Barry’s seat after he jumps out of the glass.

“In and out in plenty of time,” he informs her. "You may not have a knack for crime the way Snart did but you knew exactly how to play The Flash. I have to give you credit for that.“

"He used to be my friend,” explains Caitlin, “These days, it’s a bit … complicated I suppose.”

“Someday that’s going to bring all of us down. You know that, right?”

“I’m very good at separating my emotions from my work.” Caitlin takes the liquor bottle and then looks around the bar. She smiles as she remembers the night that she fell in love with Barry Allen. Caitlin Snow loved Barry Allen but she’s not Caitlin Snow anymore. She’s something else now, something a little broken but still hanging together despite it all.

“We should get going,” suggests Mirror Master.

“Take us home then, Sam,” says Caitlin, locking her hand around his and traveling with him into the reflection of the glass, finding herself strangely content with all the sacrifices she has made.


End file.
